And the voice at the other end of the phone line sounded as wounded as can be.

I don’t even remember what Brian MacLellan said that day. But I vividly recall how he sounded.

The Washington Capitals GM was just beginning to process. The deepest team in hockey had once again had its Stanley Cup dreams cut short in the second round.

Now the reckoning had to be begin.

“Yeah, I mean, the pinnacle is that Game 7 and we didn’t play our best game. All the work and all the effort that everyone has put in… management, scouts, players, coaches, to come up short in that one game is frustrating. I think it took a toll on everybody,” MacLellan told The Athletic this week in recalling his mood in that next-day phone call.

He then paused for a moment before adding:

“I still think we’re getting over it. And hopefully before the season starts, we’re over it.’’

Can you feel that pain?

It was shared by Justin Williams, no longer even part of the organization. He’s thrilled to be back in Carolina where he won his first Stanley Cup. He sees a team on the rise there. But he’s not going to lie either, the sting of last spring was unmatched for...